Best Windows Instant Messaging Client (specific requirements)

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I have a Windows Live ID and a hotmail account.

For ages, I used MSN/Windows/Live Messenger, but became increasingly annoyed by the clutter of ads, gadgets and stuff.

So I switched to Pidgin (formerly GAIM), which is OK, except for a set of quite small, but significant niggles:
-email integration is clunky - I can’t right-click the tray icon and launch my email inbox - I have to open the buddy list, click on the banner (which sometimes isn’t even there - if there are no new messages since I last looked) at the top, which launches another window, in which I have to press a button marked ‘open mail’, before I get to see it.

So Pidgin is an admirable project with which I can’t really live comfortably.

I intend to keep the Windows live ID and email account - so which IM client should I be looking at now? (my machine runs WinXP).

2

I currently using Trillian. It’s free and has no adds. It keeps things organized, though honestly, I don’t use windows live ID so I have no idea about the mail thing. Check it out.
ETA: Just added my old MSN chat login. It displays the name. Double clicking it opens my hotmail account. I just log in. Nice.

3

Ugh, Instant Messagers have been the bane of my existence for the last couple years. I’ve been using AIM for a long time and the few people I chat with regularly have that screenname for me, so I’m resistant to switching. However, AIM has been sucking donkey dicks for me for a long time.

While in the midst of a chat my AIM connection will suddenly show that the other person logged off. On their end it looks like I logged off. In actuality neither of us have logged off, but something in the pipe got screwed up and we have to wait 1-3 minutes while it sorts itself out. Even worse sometimes only one person thinks the other logged off and one of us is left sending messages into the ether with no one seeing them or being informed that they aren’t being received. This leads to us repeating the last 3 or 4 lines every time we come back online.

Even more infuriating is that on occasion, instead of making it look like we were disconnected, chat responses will just disappear. We’ll be having a conversation and without either of us realizing it a line of dialog will simply not appear on the other end of the line. This has led to confusion and a few arguments when the meaning of a joke was missed. Frankly, it’s made me chat much less than I normally would.

I would abandon AIM entirely except for the fact that that’s really my only IM identity that people know and because I like their interface and appearance far more than any of the others.

Incidentally, I think the core of my issue isn’t with AIM directly, I think I’m seeing packet loss due to a line issue, but I can’t get my ISP to fix it since it’s impossible to recreate and verify and because they are cheap and stubborn. However, the packet loss seems to cause trouble for AIM more than it does for Live Messenger which is my backup.

4

Are you looking exclusively for an IM client that is installed on your machine? If not, then I’d suggest looking into Meebo- it’s a web-based IM client that will allow you to log into Yahoo!, MSN, AIM, Google Talk, Jabber, ICQ and Flixster. I use it, and it works well… especially at work where downloading an IM client onto my machine is prohibited.

5

I just realized that Meebo will probably not suit your needs, as it doesn’t have the e-mail integration capability you’re looking for, Mangetout. Sorry 'bout that.

6

Take a look at digsby.

7

Seconded.

8

Wait… what does IM have to do with e-mail?

9

I have used Trillian for years - I even paid for it! (not sure what that got me, but I was happy to give them my $20).

When I log in to Trillian it tells me how many unread Yahoo and Hotmail emails I have. I can right-click on the Yahoo or Hotmail status indicator (which is an envelope if I have mail) and choose “check mail” from there.

I use it to talk to my friends who use AIM, Yahoo and MSN. I use it all day long.

10

Why not use all of them? And why bother installing anything? Check out Meebo online. I’ve used it for years, after being a big fan of Trillian. I’ve been very happy with the service and features.

11

I use Windows Live. If you go to your Control Panel, then Internet Options: click on the Security tab and click on Restricted Sites. Add rad.msn.com. That will block most of the ads.

12

I use this as a firefox plugin at my work. I prefer Trillian at home.

13

I’ll have to look into that, as I also use firefox at work. Thanks!

14

Not necessarily anything, except that Windows Live/MSN has for a long time blended the two, and I’ve got used to it that way.

15

No problem - it looks like something I might still use in other contexts, so thanks.

16

That looks a pretty good match for my requirements. The Wikipedia page says they’re investigating ways to make money from the client, which might mean it starts to suck at some point in the future (but I guess I can always jump ship if and when).

Thanks - I’m going to give it a try.

17

I tried digsby, but for some reason, I’m just not really comfortable with it (I honestly can’t put my finger on a reason).

I found a piece of open-source software called aMSN - which is designed to be an MSN clone visually as well as functionally - I’m trying that out now.